Helping Harry
by Lady Alinor
Summary: Harry's depressed, and Luna decides to take matters into her own hands. DH spoilers, ignores epilogue. Harry/Luna.


_Helping Harry_

It's a quiet afternoon in the Gryffindor Common Room. The October sun shines through the windows and a crisp breeze plays with the curtains. I don't know about the others, but all I want to do is go outside and enjoy the weather.

Actually, I'm pretty sure my friends are feeling the same way. Ron keeps glancing at the window and sighing. Neville's eyes are glazed over as he studies his copy of _Preparing for Your Transfiguration N.E.W.T._ Ginny, who is leaning against Neville (she and Harry had a row—I'm not sure what about—and now she's going out with Neville) is twisting her hair as she frowns at a Potions essay she's trying to write. Harry looks distracted too. He took it pretty good when Ginny broke up with him (he did leave her hanging for a whole year, after all), but I think it still bothers him to see her with Neville. Only Hermione is really studying, engrossed in her Arithmancy book, looking up only to make notes.

Me? I'm studying Ancient Runes. You might wonder what I'm doing in the Gryffindor Common Room, anyways, being a Ravenclaw and all. I'll see if I can explain…

After the Battle of Hogwarts, something happened to the Hogwarts houses. I mean, we were always friends with Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors and all, but suddenly no one cared about the divisions anymore. We'd all fought; we'd all lost friends in our houses, and somehow that united us. Now, it's not unusual to see Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs lounging in our Common Room. Ditto for the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor Common Rooms.

When Hogwarts reopened in the fall, most of the former seventh years returned to redo the year. I mean, Amycus and Alecto weren't exactly the most competent teachers. Of course Dean returned, as well as all the Muggle-borns who had survived Voldemort's reign of terror. Most of us in Dumbledore's Army didn't finish the year anyway, due to the fact that we spent the last few months hiding out in the Room of Requirement.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to return as well (mostly due to Hermione's persuasion) although all three had automatically been accepted into the Auror Academy for defeating Voldemort. Hermione insisted that they come back and earn their N.E.W.T.'s. She wasn't planning on becoming an Auror, anyway. I think Harry was relieved, actually; here he can escape the constant bombardment of the reporters from Witch Weekly and the Daily Prophet. Harry knows that we won't treat him any differently for being the Chosen One and He-Who-Defeated-the-Dark-Lord. Ron was just mad—he hates schoolwork and thought he'd gotten out of his last year of Hogwarts when he went Horcrux-hunting with Harry. Of course, hearing that the Quidditch teams were to be re-formed cheered him up again. Harry, Ginny, and Ron are all on the team this year.

I stare dreamily at the ceiling. The Monoclaws lounging in the corners snap viciously at me, but I know they can't attack me with so many Gryffindors around. I've tried to warn my friends, but they just laugh… Someday, a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff is going to venture into the Gryffindor Common Room without a Gryffindor student and they'll get mauled by the Monoclaws. Then people won't think I'm crazy.

I know my friends don't think that, but they still don't believe me all the time. As for the other students…well, they respect me a bit more after last year. I helped Ginny and Neville run the D.A., and I was held hostage by Death Eaters for quite some time. I still hear the name "Loony" sometime, though, but it doesn't bother me.

Ron sighs loudly. Hermione looks up impatiently. "Honestly, Ronald, our N.E.W.T.'s are just months away and you're not studying like you should."

"Bloody hell, Hermione, who can study on a day like this?" he protests.

"Language, Ronald," she reminds him, looking a bit like McGonagall. All she needs to do is pull her hair up in a bun and put on a pair of spectacles…

"I can't study either," Ginny complains. She sighs and rests her head on Neville's shoulder.

Neville? I almost laugh. He looks so dazed to have such a beautiful girl hanging on his arm… He keeps sneaking looks at Ginny, and she returns them, smiling mischievously.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk," she announces, throwing a significant glance at Neville.

"Uh, I'll… I'll come with you," he stutters, tripping over his feet to follow her out the portrait hole.

Hermione watches them go with a disapproving look on her face. Ron looks disgusted—I think he knows that they won't be doing much walking… and Harry?

The look on Harry's face makes my heart go out to him. He looks as if he's just been bitten by a Klovebber. You know, one of the invisible winged creatures that bites people and makes them depressed? I've been bitten by one before… Anyway, he watches them go with a wistful, sad look in his eyes.

I watch him closely. Harry could have another girlfriend if he wanted…any girl in the school would go out with him. In fact, I think Lavender and Parvati have started a fan club for love-sick girls trying to get over him.

"'Mione, I can't study anymore!" Ron complains, throwing his book down. "Hey, Harry, want to go flying?"

"Ron, NO!" Hermione exclaims, slapping his arm. "Not until you memorise the ten uses of Indigo Jelly for Potions!"

"But 'Mione…" he whines.

"It's OK," Harry sighs. "I'm not in the mood for flying."

Both look at him. I hum under my breath and fold a scrap of parchment into an Origami bird.

"Not in the mood for flying?" Ron says incredulously. "Are you mental?"

"Ron!" Hermione exclaims again. "Be nice." She turns to Harry. "Are you feeling alright, Harry?"

"I'm fine," he says sharply. "Everything's fine."

Hermione looks concerned. "Are you sure? I mean, you've been acting strange for a few days… Is something the matter?"

"I'm FINE," Harry snaps. "I think I'll go for a walk too."

He stands and storms toward the portrait hole. But before he can go through, a brown owl soars through the open window and lands on the back of the chair closest to Harry. He takes the letter, and opens it.

"Who's it from?" Hermione asks.

"It's from Shacklebolt," he replies, scanning the letter. Suddenly his face goes pale.

"Harry?"

Harry is still staring at the letter, his face full of conflicting emotions.

"Harry? Mate, what happened?" Ron asks, looking worried.

"It's…it's my aunt," he finally says haltingly. "They…the Dursleys…they came out of hiding a month ago…and…some of the Death Eaters who are still on the loose…they found my aunt while she was shopping and killed her."

"Oh, Harry…" Hermione whispers, her face white as a sheet.

He suddenly throws the letter down and dashes out of the Common Room.

Ron and Hermione are silent as they watch him go. I wonder what they're thinking. My Origami bird is done, and I set it on top of my Ancient Runes textbook and begin making a boat.

"I thought he wasn't that close to his aunt," Ron says, scratching his head.

Hermione glares at him. "Emotional range of a teaspoon, Ronald… Think about it! She's the last connection he has with his mum. His last living relative—well, unless you count Dudley. Of course he'd be shaken up about her death."

"I still say good riddance," Ron growls. "Hermione, you didn't see what I saw when I went to his house. They treated him like an animal…they put bars on his window and nearly starved him to death."

Hermione is silent. I haven't spoken, and I think both have forgotten I'm there. Either that or they think I'm not paying attention. Funny thing, that tends to happen a lot. I've discovered that by acting like I'm not paying attention, I can learn quite a bit. I start humming a new song and place the boat next to the bird.

"Were they really that bad to him?" she says in a tiny voice.

Ron nods, still looking out the window.

"I feel horrible," she confesses. "I never asked him about his home life… We've always avoided that particular subject. Do you think they abused him physically?"

Ron shrugs. "I dunno."

We sit in silence for a few minutes. Then Hermione claps her hands briskly. "Back to studying, Ron, we've got so much to do before June…"

That's Hermione for you; for every problem, there is a solution. And the solution for this one is…study, since we can't do anything else for Harry right now.

"But Hermione…" Ron whines again. "I can't study…"

"Sure you can. Now repeat after me. The ten uses of Indigo Jelly are as follows: Sleeping Draughts, Bruise-Removing Potions…"

Ron puts on his best puppy-dog look and scoots closer to her on the couch. Hermione squeaks and scoots away. "…Draught of Living Death, Polyjuice Potion…"

Ron ignores her and moves still closer. Soon, Hermione has reached the very end of the couch. Ron slides next to her and starts drawing lazy circles on her forearm with his fingers.

"…Aurenya Potion, Knock-Out Potion…" Hermione continues bravely, pulling away from Ron. He is persistent, though. His hand is resting on her leg now and he squeezes, giving her yet another pleading look.

"Ron…not here…"

I can tell she's starting to give in. That's why Ron and Hermione are so good for each other… They balance each other out. Ron keeps her from becoming a complete study-aholic, and Hermione keeps him from wasting _all_ of his time.

I crack open my Ancient Runes book, thinking that _I_ should probably get some studying done. My Origami figures slide off onto the low table. I flip through the pages, trying to find my place, and out flutters a letter I wrote earlier today. It's for Daddy. I'm suddenly stuck with a brilliant idea.

Hermione is now batting away Ron's hands. He's on a mission, though….he looks like he's going in for a snog soon. I think she knows she's fighting a loosing battle.

"I think I'll take this letter to the Owlery," I say, and both Ron and Hermione look up. They _did_ forget I'm here.

"Oh, OK," Hermione says, blushing red. Ron doesn't look the least bit embarrassed. "I'll… uh, see you later."

"Bye," I sing, and skip towards the portrait hole. Once in the corridor, I slow to a walk, taking my time. I love looking at the portraits in the halls… I stop and examine one of a mother holding her two-year-old son. She smiles at me and her baby giggles.

I move on down the corridor. Soon I come to the blank stretch of wall which hides the Room of Requirement. I walk by it, running the tips of my fingers along the rough wall. Some of the best memories of my life happened behind the rough stones that hide the most magical room in all of Hogwarts.

It's not long before I reach the winding staircase that leads up to the Owlery. As I ascend the stairs, I count them. Last time I came to the Owlery, there were thirty-one steps to the top. This time, there's only twenty-nine. I think it must be a magical staircase… As I reach the top, the wind hits my face and I smile into the sun.

There's someone standing at the far window, looking out over the Hogwarts grounds. As I walk closer, the person turns, and I realize that it's Harry.

"It's rather nice today, don't you think?" I greet him. I feel a little bad…I didn't know he'd be coming here. If I'd known, I would have just borrowed someone else's owl.

He doesn't say anything. I walk over to the roost and pick a tawny barn owl. "Will you carry my letter?" I ask it politely. It hoots, and holds out a leg.

Once my owl is gone, I walk to one of the windows and stare out. "Oh look, a Thestral," I exclaim. The giant winged horse is circling over the Forbidden Forrest. "They're so beautiful."

"You think so?" I hear Harry's voice behind me. He's watching the Thestral over my shoulder. I move aside so he can see through the window too.

"Oh yes, they're so graceful and pretty."

"Most people think they're ugly."

"Most people can't see them," I reminded him.

He is silent for a few moments. I stare up at the blue sky and wish that I could ride on one of the clouds.

"Did you follow me?"

I turn, surprised. "No, why would I follow you?"

He shrugs. "I thought maybe Ron or Hermione sent you."

I smile. "No. I just found a letter I needed to send and decided to take it up here. I think Ron and Hermione are a little occupied right now."

Harry grins. It's a genuine grin, too. He is cute when he smiles. But his real smiles have been far apart as of late…you'd think that with Voldemort gone, he'd be able to live a normal life, but he still has more stresses and burdens than the rest of us.

He turns back to the window. The wind is whipping up little white caps on the lake. I wish I could go swimming. The water would be a bit cold, though.

"I'm sorry about your aunt," I say honestly.

He looks at me sharply and I look back. Sometimes I think he's better at Legitimancy than most people think. He's reading my mind.

Finally, Harry sighs. "I don't know what to think."

I nod sympathetically. "It must be hard, loosing someone you have such mixed feelings about. I mean, your aunt wasn't exactly nice to you."

Harry stiffens. "Where'd you hear that?"

I smile again. "I overheard Ron telling Hermione what things at your house were like."

Harry looks angry… I hope he's not angry at them. "They're your friends," I say quickly, hoping he won't go storming back and yell at Ron for telling Hermione all that. "They care about you."

After a few moments, Harry's shoulders slump. "I… I just…"

"You don't have to explain to me," I say.

He sends me a grateful look.

"I think I know how you're feeling anyway," I continue.

"You do?" he says skeptically.

"Yes."

"So," he says, turning to face me again, "how am I feeling right now?"

I think for a minute. "You're feeling confused over your aunt's death. She wasn't nice to you, but she's still the last living relative you have. And your last connection with your mother." I hope to Merlin he doesn't find out that I got all this stuff from Hermione. She's the expert on people's emotions. "You feel like you should be sad, and yet you can't honestly miss her when she never did a thing for you."

I can see that I've hit the mark. But I'm not finished yet. "And you're feeling jealous and a bit hurt whenever you see Ginny and Neville together. You know you shouldn't because Neville has never had a girlfriend before and he of all people deserves a little happiness in his life. But you miss Ginny and wish that you two had never broken up."

Harry is staring at me. He stares for a long time. Then he slumps against the stone wall.

My heart goes out to him. The poor guy has been through enough in his life… I wish I could comfort him somehow.

"I don't know what to do," he confesses, taking off his glasses and running a hand through his messy black hair.

I look back at the window, thinking. "I wish I had an answer," I say honestly.

Another few minutes go by in companionable silence. I suddenly realise that I should probably go back to the Common Room and finish studying…but maybe Ron and Hermione are still "preoccupied."

I turn to look at Harry. He's watching me, a sad look in his eye. Suddenly I know how to make him feel better. We're only a few feet apart…

I close the distance, put my arms around his neck, and kiss him. He's only a few inches taller than me—I don't even have to reach.

Harry's eyes widen. For a second, I don't think he's going to return the kiss, but then he does. For a few moments the kiss is soft and tentative, but then he deepens it. I feel his hands on my back, pulling me closer to him. I run my fingers through his hair.

It seems like hours before we break apart. My hair is all messed up and my lips are swollen, but I don't care. I smile up at him. "There."

"What was that for?" he asks me. His mouth is hanging open. It's really quite funny.

"To make you feel better," I say simply. "It worked." I can tell it worked. He's forgotten all about his aunt. And Ginny.

"Luna…"

I sigh. I know what's coming. "Don't worry," I say, looking sadly at him. "I won't tell anyone."

Harry's eyes widen. "Huh? Why would I care who you tell?"

I look at him in surprise. He really doesn't care? This is unexpected. "The other boys I've kissed," I explain. "They all made me promise never to tell anyone they'd kissed me. I don't think they wanted people to know they'd been snogging Loony Lovegood."

For an instant, outrage flickers through Harry's eyes. "I don't care," he states firmly. "You can tell whoever you want that you kissed Harry Potter and he kissed you back."

"Really?" I whisper.

"Really," he says, smiling at me. "In fact, I want to do it again."

He pulls me close again, and our lips meet. It's like a bolt of electricity has just hit me…I feel like I'm on one of the puffy white clouds in the sky.

As we walk back to the Common Room a half hour later, holding hands, I smile up at him and he grins back at me. We pause in front of the portrait hole. The Fat Lady looks suspiciously at us. "Have you two been snogging?"

"Yup," Harry replies cheerfully. "The password is 'Unicorn.'"

She swings open, and Harry grins at me again. "Come on, let's go break up Hermione and Ron's snogfest."

And finally, I'm sure that everything is going to be alright.

_fin_


End file.
